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The week in travel: April 8-13, 2013

Disused castles, fortresses, prisons and islands in Italy are to be converted into luxury hotels
in a bid to boost tourism and fill the coffers of the debt-laden country, it was announced. The initiative is being modelled on Spain's Paradores, luxury retreats located in monasteries, castles and other historic buildings, and could help chip away at Italy's 1.9 trillion euro debt. Properties on offer include the Bourbon-built Santo Stefano prison (pictured) on the island of Ventotene in the Bay of Naples, a historic jail on the island of Procida and a seafront castle in the coastal town of Gaeta, south of Rome.